Fish canning machine



F eb. 8, 1955 Filed NOV. l5 1951 A. l.. cHRlsTANsEN FISH CANNING MACHINE3 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 8, 1955 A. l.. cHRlsTlANsEN FIISH CANNING MACHINEFiled Nov. 15 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Feb. 8, 1955 A. L.v CHRIS-HANSEN FISH CANNING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 5Filed NOV. 15 1951 g Afef/vr y United States Patent O FSH CANNINGMACHINE Andrew L. Christiansen, Compton, Calif.

Application November 15,11951, `Serial No. 256,535

12 Claims. y(Cl. 226-101) This invention relates :generally lto the foodcanning art, and is concerned particularly with `a machine for packingVfish in cans preparatory-to cooking ofithe fish. Specifically, theinvention pertains to fa machine opera- `tive to pack predeterminedquantities of iish incans and to `deliver the filled cans iforfurtherprocessing:

Fish of the smaller varieties, such yas sardines, an-

chovies, smelts, etc., are packed and sold lin cans containing'severalof theiish, andiny order' toexpedite the packing operation, so as tomaintain the costof produc- `tion at a minimum, various expedients areemployed for fveyor for insertion intol a can.

'ln addition, thefmechanism fortransferring'the yiish from the conveyorinto the'cans-is subjectto -several disadvantages. For-example, in themachine `disclosed in vmy prior Patent No. 2,195,882, issuedzto me April2, 1940, the iish are first compressed -.within ya-receptacle on theconveyor and -a can,y carried-by the conveyoriin line with thereceptacle, is thenslid-over/:the.vmassflof tishto pack thesame withinthe can. `Suchfforceable packing of the iishhasvthedisadvantageofvleaving no room for other bits of fish-which-may be y'required/tobring the filled can up to :the f standard Aof weightncontent.Furthermore, the'lilled cans are notproperly controlled in their passagefromfthe machine .so that their vcontents are apt to become displaced,atleast/to .the

r-extent of projecting from'the cans.

It is-theret'ore `aiu-important objectV of fmy rinvention to provide -acan filling or packingfmachine .which is highly efficient in operationand. one.which operatesautomatically without constantattendance,.;except..to.;periodi cally-replenish-the supply of. cansinto whichthe "iish .are tobepacked.

Another object .isto :provide 4a machine ,of v.the/type indicated whichis used in ,connection with.a sh ,cleanying 1and cutting.apparatus,.this apparatusfunctioning-to ,remove the entrails,.theheadsandtailsof the Sh vand deliver the prepared fish Ysingly `throughrvanguidechute.

Avrelated object is to provide a packing machine which includesanendless conveyor provided.. with a.plurali ty of longitudinally-spacedfish-receiving compartments or receptacles, anend of'the Aconveyorbeinggpos'itionedbeneath the guide chute to adapt thereceptaclestoreceive -the liish delivered from 'the cleaning and cutting aplparatus.Aveyoi is driven intermittently from the apparatus v`in` timed relationthereto so as to causethe conveyor'to advance, following Vthe placingVof a f predetermined -num- 'ber of 'iish in leach receptacle, thusavoiding the-necesin accordance with "this invention,'"the consity:ofattendants countingthe-iish'toberplaced in each can. The intermittentdrive lpreferably/consists of a pawland-ratchet means operated-from' ay'cam Ior eccentric, `rotated from `a continuously `rotating 1shaftrofthe cleaning `and cutting yapparatus which :controls 'the :de-Jlivery of' the prepared fish throughif the .guide chute.

vAnother fobject is f to r .provide a amachine .:of-:Lthe echarbalancedclosed ends. discharge conveyonextending alongside the main conveyoracter referred to in which theffish receptacles are formed as horizontalbores in holders carried'by the conveyor, the receptacles being ofthersame diameter as-the inside diameter of the cansiinto whichthe ishis tobe packed, and extending transversely of the conveyor, -thereceptacles having open ends.

Another object is to provide a machine of this'class having means forfeeding cans down onto-the holders whichhave supportportions forholdingthe cans, the cam-feeding means being in thev form of a magazine forcontaining a supply of the cans andfhaving a chute at `its lower endthrough which the cans are 4individually lowered onto the supportportions into alignment with the receptacles and with their open endsfadjacent an end of the receptacles, the iiared'rim at the open ends ofthe cans being retained in `a slot in the:holders to prevent axialdisplacement ofthe cans.

In accordance with thisl invention, the Vholders having openingsirivtheir npperportions registering with the receptacles and vthroughwhich the 'iish may descend-into `the receptacles. AAnother object ofthe invention isto provide closure means for closingthefopeningsxafterthe predetermined number of` lish have 4beenintroducedinto vthe receptacles, -said closure rneaiis comprising -a plurality ofelements carried by an endless conveyortravelable above the mainconveyor and'parallel tothe path .of movement thereoisaid elementsbeinggadapted-to enter the openings as the holdersmove beneath gtheclosure conveyor, so as to retain the iish-within.the;receptacles, thelower surfaces of the closure elements being arcuate and'forniingcontinuations ,of thecylindrical-surfaces of the receptacles. Inaccordance with the inventionythe .closure'conveyor is driven at `the.same linear fspeed as the main conveyor andintermittentlywith the same.

It is another iobject to provide/means forinitially and lightly-forcingthe lish downwardly in the receptacles priorto entrance of the closureelements into the openingsof the holders, this;means..consisting inarollerdisposed in advance .of the closure Ameans and roll-able ,acrossthe tops of the holders.

Another object is to provide nieansvfor transferring the fish from thereceptacles'into the cans Asupported by the holders. This,transferringmeansincludes a; plunger slidable on eachholder..axially ofits receptacle andfhavinga plunger head slidable from a position remotefrom the can to a `positionin .which it lisadjacentnthevopen endof thecan so. asto push the Viishinto'the can. The transferringmeans. alsovvincludes..cam means, in the form .of inclined bars, .iixedly ymounted onthe .frame Aand adapted to be engagedfby'follower collarsonthexplungers,movement of the holders relativeto ,the cam bars causing theplungers tobeirst slidto ,transfer the fish from therreceptacles intothe cansfandtherefterretracted-to inoperativeposition. Preferably, the k cainbars.areot .verygradual slope so as to effect slow progressiveslidinginovementof theplungers. 'By thisprovision, the,iish are forcedrelatively slowly Hinto the cans ,to insure that `all ,theair thereinwill vbe expelled Aand tothus prevent projecting of the iish from thecans when Vthe plungers are withdrawn.

VAnother object of the invention isvtoiprovideamachine of the typeyindicated `having.means,permitting discharge yof the filled cansinverticaLposition Withtheir open ,ends uppermost. Accordingtormyinvention, thecans are supportedin horizontal ,positionontheholders .with the lthe supportsor shelvesoffthefholders,y the cansthusbeing roveibalanced in the ydirection of their closed ends.

,Retaining means, in thepform-v of la? longl rod, is carried by theyframe andvextends longitudinallyy alongside the conveyor in positiontoiprovidea combined support'and guide for'the outer closed ends of thecanswhich slide thereon. Inthe'present inachinethisove'rbalanced-condition of the cans causesfthe latter totilt upwardlyupon movement of the cans 'beyond the end of the rod,`the'rods pivotingon f the outer edges yof the holders vdue .'to their over- Themachine/'further includes 'a 'and `adapted ton receive fthe 'iilled cansin .upright position :and 'to convey tthem 4toward :the `.discharge zendtof :the

machine, this discharge conveyor being driven intermittently in timedsequence from the main conveyor.

A still further object is to provide a conveyor means for transportingthe lled cans to other fish processing apparatus, such as a cookerthrough which the filled cans pass, this transporting conveyor extendingtransversely of the discharge conveyors of several of the can-packingmachines and being adapted to receive the cans from these conveyorsthrough inclined chutes provided for this purpose.

Further objects will appear from the following detailed description, andfrom the drawings, which are intended for the purpose of illustrationonly, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of my improved fish-canning machine or apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view, taken on line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view through several of theiish holders and closure means;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a pair of the holders, illustrating themanner in which the fish are transferred from the receptacles into thecans; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view, taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2,showing the plunger fully retracted and the filled can tilting from theholder to be discharged from the machine.

Referring to the drawings in detail, my improved machine includes arelatively long frame 16 having bearings at its ends in which transverseshafts 11 and 12 are rotatable, the shafts carrying respective sprockets13 and 14 around which the chains 15 and 16 of a main conveyor 17extend. As shown best in Fig. 5, the chains 15 and 16 carry brackets 1Sbetween which are supported holders 20.

Each holder 20 consists of a metal block, the central portion of whichhas a bore-like receptacle 21 therein extending transversely of theconveyor 17. The upper part of the central portion is provided with alongitudinal slot or elongate opening 22 through which fish may passdownwardly into the receptacle formed by the bore 21. At one end, theholder block 20 is reduced in height to provide a rest 23, the uppersurface of which is concaved to provide a can support 24. Between thecentral portion and the rest 23 is a transverse slot 25. At the otherend of each holder 20 is a bearing block 27 in which the stem 28 of aplunger 29 is slidable, the plunger having a circular head 30 adapted t0slide axially within the receptacle 21. The main conveyor 17 isconnected to be driven intermittently by means to be presentlydescribed.

At the lefthand end of the machine, the conveyor 17 travels beneath theguide chute of a fish-cutting and cleaning machine, indicated generallyby the reference numeral 36. The machine 36, which is disclosed in myPatent No. 2,166,939, dated July 25, 1939, has an endless conveyor 37formed with compartments 3S, each adapted to convey a iish through thecutting and cleaning mechanisms. The shaft 39 of the conveyor 37 isdriven from an electric motor 40 through the medium of a combinedpulley, belt, and gear transmission means 42. The fish F, after beingcleaned and cut to remove their heads and tails, are discharged into thechute 35 and a funnel-like guide 43 which directs the fish into thereceptacles 21 of the holders 20 when the latter are positionedtherebeneath.

It is necessary that a predetermined number of the fish be disposed ineach receptacle 21 for packing in a can. For this reason, each holder 20must remain at rest beneath the guide 43 until the required number ofcompartments 38 discharge their contents into each receptacle. Forexample, the drawings illustrate the machine set up for packing fourfish in each can, and thus it is necessary that each holder remain atrest beneath the guide 43 for a period necessary to receive the fourfish. To effect this intermittent or sten-by-step conveyor motion. l'provide a cross-shaft 45 which carries a sprocket 46 driven from asmaller sprocket 47 on the shaft 39 by means of a chain 48. Thecross-shaft carries a cam 50 which, through a follower roller 51 movesan arm 51 connected to a crank 52 pivoted on the conveyor shaft 11. Thecrank 52 carries a spring-actuated pawl 53 which engages the teeth of aratchet wheel 54 fast on the shaft 11. Thus, at the completion of thatpart of a revolution of the shaft 39 which will deposit four fish into areceptacle 21, the cam 50 actuates the pawl 53 to index the shaft 11through a part revolution to advance an empty holder 20 to a positionbeneath the guide 43 to receive four fish. This intermittent feed of theconveyor 17 continues as long as the cleaning and cutting machineremains in operation.

The fish F placed in the receptacles 21 may project above the tops ofthe holders 20, and to insure against displacement of the fish aresilient roller 56 is mounted for rotation on a bracket 57 above theconveyor, the roller rolling across the tops of the holders to positionthe iish within the receptacles.

As the holders 20 are intermittently advanced, they pass beneath ahopper or vertical magazine 6d which serves to hold a supply of cans Cwith their axes horizontal. The cans C feed downwardly by gravity anddischarge singly from the lower curved end 61 of the magazine 60 ontothe concave supports 2d of the holders 2t) with their open ends facingthe end of the receptacles 21 and with the flared rim or flange at theiropen ends disposed within the transverse slots 25 of the holders (Fig.4). As each can thus is mounted on a holder 20, it immediately passesbeneath a long bar or guide rod 62 carried by the frame 1t) andextending lengthwise of the conveyor 17, the rod overlying the portionof the cans adjacent their inner open ends. A second, similar rod 63serves to support the outer closed ends of the cans which projectlaterally from the supports 24. It is to be noted at this point, and byreference to Figs. 4 and 5, that the greater portion of each can Cprojects from its support 24 so that the can is overbalanced toward itsouter closed end. However, the guide rods 62 and 63 serve to retain thecans in place on their supports 24 during travel of the cans through thefish-packing mechanism, to be later described.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3, the present machine includes closuremeans for closing the upper openings Z2 in the tops of the holders 20during the fish transferring operation. This means comprises an endlessconveyor 65 travelable above and parallel to the path of movement of themain conveyor 17. The conveyor 65 is operated intermittently with and bythe conveyor 17 through the medium of a gear 66 on the conveyor shaft12, and idler gear 67 on a cross-shaft 68, a sprocket 69 on the shaft68, a sprocket 70 on one of the shafts 71 of the conveyor 65, and achain 72. The conveyor 65 carries a plurality of transverse closureelements 73 which are spaced apart a distance equal to the spacing ofthe receptacles 21 on the conveyor 17. The elements 73 consist of barshaving lower portions 74 adapted to enter the openings 22 of the holders20 to close the same, the lower surfaces of these portions being curvedto conform to the curved surface of the receptacles 21 and to thus forma continuation thereof, as shown in Fig. 3. The closure elements 73 alsohave lateral flanges at their upper portions adapted to rest upon thetop surfaces of the holders 20. As indicated in Figs. 4 and 5, theclosure elements 73 project slightly beyond the ends of the receptacles21 which are adiacent the bearing blocks 27. it will be readilyunderstood from the foregoing that as the conveyor 17 is intermittentlvdriven to advance its holders with a stepby-step motion, the closureelements 73 are likewise advanced to retain the fish F within thereceptacles 21.

The means for transferring the fish F from the receptacles 21 into thecans C comprises a fixed cam bar 76 (Figs. 1 and 4l, which is mounted onthe frame 10 and extends generally longitudinally of the conveyor 17along a side thereof. The cam bar 76, which has a gradual slope, isadapted to be engaged between spaced follower collars 77 and 78 on thestems 28 of the Dlungers 29 as the holders 20 are advancedintermittently and successively toward the right. as viewed in Fig. l.By this means, the plunger heads 30 are pushed into and through thereceptacles 21 with a step-by-step motion to thus force the fish F fromthe receptacles into the cans C through their open ends. Due to thisrelatively slow motion, the air within the closed ends of the cans C iseffectively expelled so that there is no tendency for the iish to beforced outwardly from the cans where the plunger heads are withdrawn.

After the fish have been packed in the cans as explained above, theplunger heads 30 are retracted through the medium of a second cam bar 80which diverges laterally away from the conveyor 17 (Fig. 1). This cambar may be located either alongside the upper portion of the conveyor17, as` herein shown, `orialongsidethe bottomror return portion thereofwhen Ait -is.desiredtoconserve space. In either case,.the cambar 80 actsthroughV the follower collars 77 an'd78 to moveftheplungers 29 ofsuccessive holders 20.1aterally r`so as to withdraw'the heads 30 fromthe receptaclesll and `thus permit refilling of the receptacles as thelatter again move into position beneath the guide means 43.

The guide rods 62 and 63 terminate at a pointgslightly in advance of thefish transferring stationv (Fig. 2,) so that when the filled cans reachthis point the cans, which as previously explained areoverbalanced,vtilt,from the horizontal position shown by fulllines inFig. in the manner indicated by the dotgan'ddashlinea and finally assumethe vertical positiondesignated by the dashlines'in this view. Thefilled cans C, Vupon-reaching such ,upright position with ,their open,ends uppermost, cometo rest upon a discharge conveyor 185 extendingalongside the conveyor 17. The conveyor 85 ispreferably advancedintermittently with the conveyor ,17 ,by means of sprockets 86 and S7,and a chain 88. Theconveyork 85 extends to the right-hand end of themachine, and atI the location where it reverses its direction a guidechute 90 is provided. This chute mayconsist of three downwardly slopingrods 91, 92, and 93, which engagerthe sidesandbottom of each can C toallow the latter` to; slideA longitudinally and ,downwardly onto a crossconveyor. 9.5 which serves to4 transport the filled cans to otherprocessing apparatus, suchas a cooking unit (not shown) where thepackedfish are cooked. The conveyor 95 may extendalong lthe discharge ends ofseveral of -the-canpacking` machines to receive the filled cansf forprocessing. Referring to Fig. l, the improved fish packing machinerispreferably constructed in duplicate, `the conveyor f17 and associatedparts being duplicated asindicatedin phantom at 96.

It will be observedfrom the foregoing that my machine is fully automaticin operation, it being ,onlynecessary to replenish the supply vof cansinthehopper. In operation, the conveyor v17 is intermittently advanced intimed relation to Athe vtravel Vo'f `theconveyor 37 and, through thetransmission means 42, theconveyor 17 lis moved after a holder'20thereon has received the required number of sh F at the fish-receivingstation D. .The conveyor 17 then advancesits holders 20 successivelythrough thecan-receiving stationEto, receivecans thereon, and from thisstation the vholders aremoved successively to the combined closureoperating and canffilling station G where the'fish are` transferredfromthe4 holders into the cansC. [After passing ,this station, thefilled cans travel to the can-discharging.stationH'wherefthe guide rods62 and '63 terminate to allow thecans `to .tiltfrom the holders 20 onto'the discharge ,conveyorl85 which acts to transfer them ontothecrossfconveyorl95. It is thus seen that the fish and 4cans travelsuccessively an'dsequentially through the several stations named aboveto,produce filled cans suitable for further processing in the canning4establishment. `Itwill bereadily understood that by varying the speedratio between the conveyor 37 and the cam means 50 the lholders 20 maybe retained beneath the guide 43 for periods sufficient forthem toreceive any number of the fish from the'cutting and. cleaning means.

In accordance with the provisions of the patentstatutes, I havedescribed the principle of operation of my invention, together with theapparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof,but I ydesire-to have it understood that the apparatus shown is onlyillustrative and that the invention may be carried out by modifiedmeans.

I claim as my invention:

l. A fish canning machine, including: a movable conveyor means having aholder thereon providing an elongate horizontal receptacle forcontaining fish with the fish extending lengthwise thereof, saidreceptacle having an opening in its upper side through which the fishcan be loaded into the receptacle, said holder having can supportingmeans supporting an open-ended can in axial alignment with thereceptacle and with the open end of the can adjacent an end of thereceptacle and with the closed end of the can projecting axially fromthe supporting means and overbalancing the portion of the can veyor; aplungerl head carried by ssaid holder "and slidable axially'inthereceptacle'zthereof; vplunger operating means,'operable in responseto: movementofv the conveyor means, forslidingthejplungerhead'from aninoperativejposition'outside'thereceptacle' in a direction tov force thefish fromfthereceptacle into the can through the openend ithereof;vertically Amovable closure means, operablewhen in lower position, 'to'close said -opening so as to compact the sh within the `confines of thereceptacle, said.closure means overlying the plunger'headin'closeassociation'therewith when the latter is'in its inoperative`position; andjplunger operating means,'oper able-in responsetorrnovement of said conveyor means, forv sliding the. plunger head,said retaining means. terminating iat a `selected location inthe path'of`movement of the filledtcan so'as toirelease the cantolpernrititv toYtilt from the'supporting-means, due'to its overbalanee'd setting on thesupportingwmeans.

2. 7Amachineas definedrin'claim'l in which said holder has'a boreextending y:horizontally and'transversely of the conveyor "andjprovidingsaid receptacle, `and has Ya 4longitudinal slot in 'its upper ysurface`communicating with the bore'andjproviding'an entrance `opening throughwhich the fish Acan be lowered into said bore, said closure means'beingmovably-disposed above the conveyor and movable to aA positiontoclosesaid opening and overlie thejplunger head.

v3. A machine-'as defined'in claim 2 in which :said plunger operatingmeans'comprises a fixed'elongate'cam extending lengthwise oftheconveyor, and follower means connected tosaid plunger'shead'andrengagingsaid cam.

V4. `Atmachine as defined ViniclaimB in which saidcam consists of at,least lone bar'exten'ding `alongside rsaid conveyor andnsloping;transversely;of-the conveyor in 'a substantially4horizontalfplane.

`5. Amachine asidefined in claim 4 in'which said plungerhead'has la stemprojecting' from'said holder and saidy follower meansecomprises Aajpairof spacedcollars adjustably secured to said steman'dstraddlingther-sides of "saidcam rbar.

v6. A fish -canning `machine, comprising: aframe; la conveyor movable in'a'horizontal path on the frame successivelyEr-past.affishreceiving'station, a can receiving station, acanfi1ling station'anda candischarging station, said conveyor'having ,a plurality'of holdersprovidin g fish'receivingreceptacles vhaving entrance openings in theiruppersides;`movable Vplunger means mounted directlyupon ,the'holders for*forcing 'the fish axially from the receptacles, said holders havingintegral means 'to support cans thereonwiththe open ends'of the cans inalignment -Withl said :receptacles and t plunger means; fish loadingJmeans `at ,said 'receiving station operative to directfish :downwardlythrough said openings into said receptacles;.cansupplying means-at saidcan receiv- 'ing station'operative to rplace cans on said'holders in theaforesaidpositionfjplunger operating-means fixed'A to Isaid frame at,'said can filling station and Noperative vinresponse to'movementoftheholders'relative to'the operating'meansto move said plunger meansin'aldirection to force vthe'fishfrom said receptaclesinto said cans;can 'discharging means atsaid discharging station ,operative todischarge the filled cans-successively from the respective'holders;azfirst Voperating means for continuously'operating'saidsh loadingmeans; and a second operating means. driven from said first operatingmeans for intermittently` moving-said conveyor.

7. A fish canning machine, comprising: a frame; a conveyor movable in ahorizontal path on the frame successively past a fish receiving station,a can receiving station, a can filling station and a can dischargingstation, said conveyor having a plurality of holders providing fishreceiving receptacles having entrance openings at their upper sides;movable plunger means carried directly by the holders for forcing thefish axially from the receptacles, said holders having integral means tosupport cans thereon with the open ends of the cans in alignment withsaid receptacles and plunger means; fish loading means at said receivingstation operative to direct fish into said receptacles through theirsaid openings; can supplying means at said can receiving stationoperative to place cans on said holders in the aforesaid position;plunger operating means fixed on said frame at said can filling stationand operative in response to movement of said holders relative to saidoperating means to move said plunger means in a direction to force thetish from said receptacles into said cans; guide rod means extendinglengthwise of the conveyorand operative to retain the cans iri place onsaid holders, said rod means terminating short of said dischargingstation so as to release said cans; and operating means operative tointermittently move said conveyor so as to advance its said holderssuccessively past all of said stations in the order named.

8. A fish canning machine, comprising: a frame; a conveyor movable in ahorizontal path on the frame successively past a ish receiving station,a can receiving station, a can filling station and a can dischargingstation, said conveyoihaving a plurality of holders providing fishreceiving receptacles having inlet openings in their upper sides;movable plunger means carried directly by the holder for forcing the ishaxially from the receptacles, said holders having integral meansdefining recesses for supporting cans thereon with the open ends of thecans in alignment with said receptacles and plunger means; tish loadingmeans at said receiving station operative to direct iish into saidreceptacles through their said inlet openings; can supplying means atsaid can receiving station operative to place cans on said holders inthe aforesaid position; plunger operating means ixed on said frame atsaid can filling station and engageable with said plunger means to movesaid plunger means in a direction to force the sh from said receptaclesinto said cans; guide rod means extending length- Wise of the conveyorand operative to retain the cans in place on said holders, said rodmeans terminating short of said discharge station so as to release saidcans; a first operating means for continuously operating said fishloading means; and a second operating means operative in response to theplacing of a predetermined number of Iish in each of said receptacles bysaid loading means to intermittently move said conveyor so as to advanceits said holders successively past all of said stations in the ordernamed.

9. A fish canning machine, comprising: a frame; a conveyor movable onthe frame successively past a ish receiving station, a can receivingstation, a can lling station and a can discharging station, saidconveyor having a plurality of holders providing fish receivingreceptacles and movable plunger means on the holders for forcing the ishfrom the receptacles, said holders being adapted to support cans thereonwith the open ends of the cans in alignment with said receptacles andplunger means; fish loading means at said receiving station operative todirect sh into said receptacles; can supplying means at said canreceiving station operative to place cans on said holders in theaforesaid position; plunger operating means at said can lling stationoperative to move said plunger means in a direction to force the fishfrom said receptacles into said cans; can discharging means at saiddischarging station operative to discharge the filled cans successivelyfrom the respective holders; a directing chute incorporated in said iishloading means for directing iish into the receptacles disposedtherebeneath; an operating means for continuously operating said iishloading means; and pawl-and-ratchet means driven from said operatingmeans for intermittently moving said conveyor so as to advance its saidholders successively past all of said stations in the order named.

10. A tish canning machine, comprising: a frame; a

conveyor movable on the frame successively past a ish receiving station,a can receiving station, a can filling station and a can dischargingstation, said conveyor having a plurality of holders providing iishreceiving receptacles and movable plunger means on the holders forforcing the tish from the receptacles, said holders being adapted tosupport cans thereon with the open ends of the cans in alignment withsaid receptacles and plunger means, said holders having openingscommunicating with said receptacles and through which the ish can beintroduced into the receptacles by said loading means; fish loadingmeans at said receiving station operative to direct lish into saidreceptacles; can supplying means at said can receiving station operativeto place cans on said holders in the aforesaid position; plungeroperating means at said can iilling station operative to move saidplunger means in a direction to force the sh from said receptacles intosaid cans; vertically movable closure means at said can filling stationoperative to close said openings prior to and during movement of saidplunger means to transfer lish from the receptacles into the cans; candischarging means at said discharging station operative to discharge thetilled cans successively from the respective holders; a rst operatingmeans for continuously operating said sh loading means; a second,pawland-ratchet, operating means driven from said iirst operating meansfor intermittently operating said conveyor; and a third operating meansdriven from said second operating means for intermittently operatingsaid closure means, all of said operating means operating in timedsequence.

11. A machine as deiined in claim l0 in which said holders have openingscommunicating with said receptacles and through which the i'ish can beintroduced into the receptacles by said loading means, and in which saidclosure means includes an endless conveyor travelable above and parallelto the path of movement of said holders and having a plurality ofclosure elements thereon insertable in said openings of successiveholders movable therebeneath so as to close the same, said closureelements having arcuate surfaces at their lower ends formingcontinuations of the receptacles and having lateral anges restable uponthe upper surfaces of the holders.

12. A machine as delined in claim 8 including: a roller rotatable on theframe above said conveyor and rollable across said holders passingtherebeneath so as to press the fish downwardly through said inletopenings into said receptacles; a discharge conveyor movable in a pathparallel to said first-mentioned conveyor for receiving the cansreleased by said rod means and conveying the same toward said candischarging station; a transporting conveyor movable at an angle to saiddischarge conveyor; and a discharge chute into which said dischargeconveyor discharges the lled cans and which directs the illed cans ontosaid transporting conveyor.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,891,830 Nicholson s Dec. 20, 1932 2,048,156 Gardner et al. July 2l,1936 2,092,786 Taylor Sept. 14, 1937 2,180,349 De Back Nov. 21, 19392,195,882 Christiansen Apr. 2, 1940 2,518,757 Coley et al Aug. 15, 1950

